Bit o'Northern Thailand

Generally speaking, I don't mind a 6 or 7 hour bus ride in a foreign country because it's like a day off from travelling. No need to plan out what you're doing next, how you're getting there or anything, you just sit back, relax, and head bob your way into oblivion. The six hour bus ride from Chiang Mai to Phitsanulok was the exception and we only barely endured it mainly due to the blaring Thai pop music and dubbed over episodes of Mr. Bean. Terrible! The music videos accompanying the songs were entertainment in themselves though- lone Thai man with long, wavy, rock-star hair enters the screen, stage left. Dramatically strums out a few riffs on his guitar, doing his best to look like an American rocker. Apparently this is a popular song these days because we have since heard it everywhere we go and we can't help but like it.

I've noticed that the Thai people seem to enjoy employing staff. For the above journey, we had no fewer that five crew, including two bus hostesses who efficiently distributed snacks, one driver, and two randoms - not sure what their role was but them bowed sheepishly during the introductions as if to say "please! Stop. You're too kind, really."

As with the majority of Northern Thailand outside of Chiang Mai, we were the only obvious foreigners around for miles. There is a pretty path that runs along the silt colored river and hordes of people are out and about, running and participating in the impromptu Jazzercise class held on the main street, aptly named Healthy Street. Children are everywhere and they all seem to be wearing school uniforms. This is the first country in SE Asia where we have noticed that the vast majority of children do indeed go to school.

We took a day trip to the ancient city of Sukothai and after 7 exhausting bus trips and many rounds of fierce negotiations regarding fares, spent a measly 1.5hr riding along through the ruins. The ones we did see were beautiful but I think we were too shattered from the ordeal of finally arriving in Sukothai to thoroughly enjoy exploring them in more detail- not to worry, that's what Angkor Wat is for!